Sunday, January 24, 2010

This is the first weekend this year where I have literally had nothing to do. I was so excited about it. No plans. No one to see. No need to go outside. No need to get dressed. It's been as great as I anticipated. Three exciting events have taken place:

1. The Christmas tree has finally come down. It feels very blank without it. It was the first time in my life I have ever had a fake tree and I think it was perfect. It was that choice between not having one at all because we simply weren't going to be here and having something makeshift. Now we'll always have it just in case. The bottom of it is the only annoying thing. But it's all packed in the loft now should the need arise again.

2. It was chutney production time. ALL the chutneys everyone had ever given us had been consumed. I went through the cupboard and found loads of out of date unchutney products, but there was nothing else. Shop bought chutney was experimented with and found sadly lacking so chutney production began in earnest.

3. It seemed high time to get back into some knitting. It has been such a long time that I seemed to be rubbish all over again! It didn't take long to get back into the swing of things though. I think my needles are just a little too big to hold comfortably. I spent last year re-learning to hold my needles in a better way. I know that it helps with your speed eventually and I wanted to not fall into bad habits.

I have found that utube really helps. There are loads of knitting videos on there. I found this great one from Elsteffo which I am going to try and stick to. I also have problems with how I wind the wool round my hand which inevitably affects the tension and evenness of the stitches. And I think I knit a bit too tightly because I always have to stop and push the knitting along. I will be converted to the path of knitting righteousness!

So I am making this free Rowan Cable Neck pattern. Two people I know have made it. One looks just like the picture, but the other person made it out of thinner wool and it's kind of saggy which I really like. I guess it makes less of a statement but I am fine with that. She also made it with much cheaper wool! Robin chunky here I come!

Not having followed many patterns, I am finding it quite hard going. I have knitted the first two bits, albeit quite badly, but I am not quite sure exactly how to do the next bit. I shall spend today trying though.

Friday, January 01, 2010

So here we are in a bright, shiny, new year. In celebration of this, I have harangued the Pony into updating my blog layout a bit. For some time now I haven't been able to take advantage of Blogger's newer features as I had never updated to the latest version as it meant loosing my custom design. But it seems like the year for change, so here is the wider layout with bigger pictures.

I suppose this is also the moment where I take stock of what I said I would do this year and come clean as to whether I've actually achieved any of it.

I made a list last year of outstanding projects. Here it is with an update.

Unfinished Project 2: The Country Quilt2010 Status: Ongoing. I did a huge chunk of it which including coming to grips with applique so I'm really pleased with myself. Now I just need to baste it together and hand quilt it all.

Unfinished Project 3: The Sawtooth Star Quilt2010 Status: Well I haven't got much further with that. It's such a big project I am trying to clear the way for it.

1 out of 3 isn't awful when you consider what I have made this past year:

Of course I now have a few more unfinished projectsA big, crazy quilt which I have lots to do onA baby quilt for Mabel which is nearly done!A new kit to makePlus I need to make the partner to the original speaker quilt. Plus there is another baby on the way. People really need to slow down. Three last year was more than enough to keep me busy.

Resolutions for this yearI'd like to do another course this year as the course I went on last year was very inspiring.